Governor for prime movers.



' R. H. CDLLINGHAM GOVERNOR FOR PRIME MOVERS.

APPLICATION FILED nEc.s.19i5.

Patented Apr. 9, 1918. v

marmein arianne narrar rre.

ROBERT HUGH COLLIN GHAM, OF RUGBY, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TC GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION 0F NEVI YORK.

GOVERNOR FOR PRIME MOVERS.

To all whom z'zf may concern:

Be it known that l, Ronnnr HUGH CoL- LINGHAM, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Rugby, England, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Governors for Prime Movers, of which the following is a specification.

rl"his invention relates to governors for controlling the supply of motive fiuid to prime movers and more particularly to governors ,of the type in which the mechanism for controlling the inlet valve or valves is operated by means of a spring loaded piston actuated by fluid pressure generated by means of an impeller driven by the prime mover, or at a speed proportional to that of the prime mover.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved governor of this type.

ln the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of one form of my invention; Fig. 2 is a similar view of a modification; and Fig. 3 shows the governor of Fig. 2 applied to an elastic fluid turbine.

ln the modification illustrated in Fig. 1, I provide a substantially cylindrical casing 3 having a rod 4 passing down through its center. The rod is surrounded for a portion of its length by a loose sleeve 5 which is driven from the prime mover in any convenient manner, as for example, as illustratcd by a worm 6 and worm wheel 7. The lower end of' the sleeve extends into a closed chamber 8 formed in the casing and has a .number of' vanes 9 secured to it which operate in a suitable fluid, preferably mercury, contained in the chamber `8. The vanes are situated in a cylinder 10 provided with a sliding piston 11 which is rigidly secured to the lower end of the central rod 4. rlhe cylinder is submerged in the fluid which has free access to the upper edges of the vanes on the sleeve through ports 12. rlhe space below the piston 11 is connected with that above it by passages 13. rllhe upper end of the central rod l is connected to a valve operating mechanism as will be eX- plained more fully hereinafter in connection with Fig. 3, and is provided with a collar 1a, and between this collar and the upper end of the casing` 3 the governor spring 15 is located. If desired, the collar may be made adjustable so as to adjust the pressure of the spring.

The operation of this device is as fol- Speecaton of Letters Patent.

Fatenteol Apr. 9, 1918.

Application filed December G, 1915. Serial No. 65,395.

lows: The sleeve 5 is driven by means of the worm 6 and worm wheel 7 at a speed proportional to that of the prime mover, thereby driving the vanes 9 and causing them to force the fluid against the piston 11. The pressure thus created acts on the upper side of the piston 11 and causes it to descend in the cylinder 10 carrying with it the central rod and causing a movement of the valve operating mechanism to reduce the supply of fluid to the prime mover. The normal position of' the piston depends on the pressure created by the vanes when the prime mover is running normally, and any variation from this is followed by a raising -or lowerino' of the piston and a corresponding movement of the valve operating mechanism. The casing may be provided with a water jacket if it is considered advisable to dissipate the heat generated in the governor.

The modication illustrated in Fig. 2 is quite similar to that illustrated in Fig. 1, and l have accordingly applied the same reference numerals to corresponding parts. In this case the worm 6 besides being utilized to drive the sleeve 5 also drives through the worm wheel 17, an oil pump 18 which may deliver oil to an oil relay or fluid motor controlling the valve mechanism of' the prime mover. The structural details of this oil pump are not shown since they form no part of the present invention. lt may be of any suitable type. ln this arrangement the piston 11 is fixed and the rod 4 carries the cylinder' 10 which is arranged to slide on the piston and vis provided with a flange 19 at its upper end against which the compression spring 15 bears. In this respect it is the reverse of the arrangement shown in Fig. 1. It will be noted that the arrangement of Fig. 2 gives a more compact structure and one in which the governor spring 10 is entirely inclosed.

The operation of this modification is similar to that of the form shown in Fig. 1. The rotation of the impeller 9 in the fluid causes a pressure to be generated in the chamber 8. This pressure acts on the bottom of the cylinder 10 causing it to descend against the action of the spring 15, thereby effecting a movement of the rod 4 and through it of the governing mechanism of the prime mover.

In Fig. 3 I have shown, by way of example, the governing mechanism of Fig. 2 applied to an elastic fluid turbine. 25 indicates 4a turbine 'having a valve mechanism 26 which is operated by the rod 27 'con-' nected with the power piston of a fluid motor 28. 29 indicates the pilot valve of the fluid motor having its stem 30 connected with 'a floating lever 3l. One end of "the floating lever is connected by link 32 and lever 33 to rod 27, and the other end is connected by link 34k and lever 35 to the rod 4. This forms an ordinary and well known type of fluid motor control including` a follow-up device or a valve mechanism. The operation is obvious and is believed to need no explanation.

With governing` mechanism of the above type I find that by using a relatively heavy iiuid, as mercury, I can obtain a very large operating force even with a low rate of revolution of the impeller.

In both the arrangements shown it will be noted that there are no external joints which are exposed to high pressure iiuid and hence all chance of leakage and loss of Huid from the governor is obviated.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I have described the principle of operation of my invention, together with the apparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof; but I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is only illustrative, and that the invention can be carried out by other means.

lhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is,-

l. The combination with a prime mover having a valve mechanism jfor controlling the admission of actuating iuid thereto, of a governor for actuating the valve mechanism comprising a casing, an operating fluid therein, a member fixed in the casing in spaced relation to the inner wall thereof, an impeller in said fixed member, a rotating sleeve on which the impeller is fastened, said fixed member having an opening through which fluid is fed to the impeller, a mov- Vable member which slideso'n the lixed `mem- 'through said lsleeve and connects the movable member to the valve mechanism, and a governor spring which opposes the movement of the movable member.

2. In a governor, the combination ol: a casing, a lixed piston therein, a cylinder which slides on the piston, said cylinder being closed at oneend and having a flange, a spring surrounding vthe cylinder and bearing against such flange, an impeller located within the cylinder between the closed end and the fixed piston, a fluid in the casing upon which the impeller acts to create a pressure to move the cylinder, means for transmitting motion to the impeller', and connecting means adapted to control a valve mechanism lixed to the cylinder.

The combination 'with a prime mover having a valve mechanism for controlling the admission of 'actuating fluid thereto, of'

a governor for actuating the valve mechanism comprising a casing, a piston fixed therein, a cylinder which slides on the piston, said cylinder having a closed end, an impeller in the cylinder adjacent lthe closed end thereof, a fluid in the casing upon which the impeller acts to create a pressure to move the cylinder, a rod which extends through the casing and connects the cylinder to the valve mechanism, a sleeve surrounding the rod and connected to the impeller for driving it, and a governor spring which opposes the movement of said cylinder.

In witness whereof, I have hereuntoset my hand this eighteenth day of `Noven'iber, 1915.

ROBERT HUGH COLLINGHAM. `Witnesses CHARLES IVI. FULLER, J. UA. Fos'rnn.

Genies of thisipatent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patente Washington, B. C. 

